Week 2 Group A Chapter 2 Reading

In this chapter reading, I have gained a more in-depth sense from the history of BIM tools and the functionality of it in a swallow programing level. First of all, I see the invention of BIM an evolution from 2D design to 3D parametric design. This does not say that conventional 2D designing did not involve 3D perspective, yet the BIM tool gave this an instantly visualized experience for users. In the first development of BIM tools, engineers from different fields had to work collaboratively, which involved aerospace, electric, mechanical, and architectural field. It was a mutual desire to have this handy tool to shorten the designing stage. 

However, technical complication popped up as always during the development stage. Connectedness between two elements has inherent difficulty when moving them. As parametric modeling programmed, the spatial relations are simplified and paramecicized in to coordinates. Accordingly, a transformation of global coordinates to locally ones are waiting to be resolved. 

As a architectural engineering student, I am more concerned about the use of BIM in architectural field. The most familiarized architectural BIM tool Revit has been very useful for architectural field ever since it is operated by engineers. However, I have always had problem telling the difference between CAD and Revit in terms of functionality. This was explained in this chapter as well – CAD can work very well amongst experienced users with a fixed set of object classes to be composed using fixed rules; On the other hand, with BIM tools, objects can be defined without any programing skills. Instead of designing a wall or a floor slab, designer define a class or family with a set of rules or relations that easily control the whole group. The rules within the class must be satisfied and like a regulation to permit the object being in the group. In contrast, in traditional CAD 3D modeling, every object needs to be designed manually and could be very error-prone and inclined to the building code.

BIM is still an evolving tool along with users' needs. Continuous work has been performing by programmers (CAD engineers). More objects are being working to build-in by fabricators and architects to enlarge the parametric objects database. 

The desire to accomplish the simplicity in design process has extensible effect on other fields as well. To fulfill various endeavors, the BIM tools have expanded not just in architectural but also construction management field. I am visioning mechanical system, electrical system, lighting and plumbing system will eventually join this BIM family in the near future. 

In conclusion, BIM eases the way of designing and save a lot of time and reduce the chances making errors. However, when there is a need for other parametric objects capability that does not exist in the BIM tool, engineer has to create the object in a CAD-level operation. BIM has been very convenient in many ways, yet we shall not forget the CAD tool as the foundation and a reliable tool for engineering.

Reference:
Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide To Building Information Modeling For Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers And Contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 20 Jan. 2015.

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